diff --git a/bird/bird.go b/bird/bird.go
index 285f9e8..2c923ac 100644
--- a/bird/bird.go
+++ b/bird/bird.go
@@ -49,7 +49,11 @@ func fromCache(key string) (Parsed, bool) {
 }
 
 func toCache(key string, val Parsed) {
-	val["ttl"] = time.Now().Add(10 * time.Minute)
+	var ttl int = 5
+	if ClientConf.CacheTtl > 0 {
+		ttl = ClientConf.CacheTtl
+	}
+	val["ttl"] = time.Now().Add(time.Duration(ttl) * time.Minute)
 	Cache.Lock()
 	Cache.m[key] = val
 	Cache.Unlock()
diff --git a/bird/config.go b/bird/config.go
index bfcdaed..37a94c0 100644
--- a/bird/config.go
+++ b/bird/config.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ type BirdConfig struct {
 	Listen         string
 	ConfigFilename string `toml:"config"`
 	BirdCmd        string `toml:"birdc"`
+	CacheTtl       int    `toml:"ttl"`
 }
 
 type ParserConfig struct {
diff --git a/birdwatcher.go b/birdwatcher.go
index d210d14..c41a9fd 100644
--- a/birdwatcher.go
+++ b/birdwatcher.go
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ func PrintServiceInfo(conf *Config, birdConf bird.BirdConfig) {
 	log.Println("Starting Birdwatcher")
 	log.Println("            Using:", birdConf.BirdCmd)
 	log.Println("           Listen:", birdConf.Listen)
+	log.Println("        Cache TTL:", birdConf.CacheTtl)
 
 	// Endpoint Info
 	if len(conf.Server.AllowFrom) == 0 {
diff --git a/etc/ecix/birdwatcher.conf b/etc/ecix/birdwatcher.conf
index ad5aab7..e48aec3 100644
--- a/etc/ecix/birdwatcher.conf
+++ b/etc/ecix/birdwatcher.conf
@@ -45,12 +45,13 @@ requests_per_minute = 10
 listen = "0.0.0.0:29188"
 config = "/etc/bird.conf"
 birdc  = "/sbin/birdc"
-
+ttl = 5 # time to live (in minutes) for caching of cli output
 
 [bird6]
 listen = "0.0.0.0:29189"
 config = "/etc/bird6.conf"
 birdc  = "/sbin/birdc6"
+ttl = 5 # time to live (in minutes) for caching of cli output
 
 [parser]
 # Remove fields e.g. interface
@@ -60,4 +61,3 @@ filter_fields = []
 per_peer_tables = true
 peer_protocol_prefix = 'ID'
 pipe_protocol_prefix = 'P'
-